On Wednesday, May 16th Harford County Public Schools will be holding its 13th Annual Service Learning Stars Celebration at Harford Technical High School. At this event HCPS recognizes students who have been nominated by their teachers for their outstanding Service Learning Projects during the past school year. This year Bel Air School has three groups of students who will be recognized on May 16th for their outstanding Service Learning Projects.
Over the next three days The Bellarion will be spotlighting each of these groups and describing their Service Learning Projects. If you see any of these students in school please take a moment to congratulate them for these wonderful achievement.
Tyler Abbot
You may have noticed all the recycling bins in all the classes, the Bobcat Stadium, and school cafeteria. Bel Air High School runs a variety of recycling programs such as plastic, aluminum and paper. Mr. Hedelson, an Environmental Science teacher at BAHS is in charge of it of the program, and he is aided by his Environmental Studies students. Mr. Hedelson recently nominated Senior Tyler Abbot for a Service Star Award for his outstanding work in the Environmental Field at Bel Air High School and in the Bel Air community. Tyler definitely cares about leaving a positive impression on both Bel Air High School and the Earth. His passion for the environment is evident in his words and his actions.
Tyler began the composting program at BAHS in his junior year. This program collects old food from the cafeteria and delivers it to a local farmer to be put into a pile known as humus. The humus is allowed to grow bacteria which can then be transferred back into regular soil to be reused again. Tyler also started the Bobcat Stadium recycling program, which has recycling cans all over the stadium with big rubber hands. These hands keep out regular trash and only let recyclables in. Mr. Hedelson thinks very highly of his student and said “Tyleris very passionate about this subject and I hope he continues with this in the future.”
Tyler said “the recycling program really opened my eyes to all of the things that have to go into managing and running a program like the composting program here at Bel Air High School.”Tylerwanted to start the composting program because he wanted to impact the school, when he went off to college. He said that his mentor would have to be Andrew Cassilly who is currently working as the Resource Conservation Manager for Harford County Public Schools (HCPS). Mr. Cassilly’s job is to implement programs in schools to reduce waste, improve energy efficiency, incorporate alternative energy uses, and educate the school communities on sustainability issues. Tyler said that he was surprised to be nominated for a Service Star award, but was honored that Mr. Hedelson nominated him.Tylerwas asked if he thought that Environmental Science would be his major in college. He replied “Yes, definitely it will be my major, but my minor will be in business because my hope is to eventually open my own place.”
Tyler has recently organized a whole Earth Day operation cleanup. He organized this so students could have a chance to come out and help him clean up the environment. He got many different companies to donate various “door prizes” for the volunteers. The companies that are helping are Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Double T Diner, Macy’s, Dick’s, Home Depot, Quiznos, Famous Dave’s,MainStreetTower,Savona, and Villa Pizza. Each of these business are contributing gift cards, drinks, tents, convenient parking spots, food, trash bags, gloves and much more. This will take place on Earth day this year which is Sunday April 22, 2012. Last year he got Emmorton Elementary to join the composting program and hopes to have more schools join it in the future. Last yearBelAirHigh Schoolparticipated in a recycling contest with C. Milton Wright which turned out to be a huge success.
Tyler said that he originally wanted to be a doctor, but he spent time with Mr. Cassilly and changed his mind and went with Environmental Science. Tyler is an amazing young man who wants to do as much as he can to save the Earth and he certainly deserves this award.